Stealing Salman’s tees!

By Hindustan Times

As if having pirated copies of his movies available at almost every street-side DVD stall wasn’t enough, Salman Khan now has to contend with people copying his Being Human T-shirts. Launched as a means of raising funds for his numerous charities, the line is officially sold at Cottonworld stores nationwide and on Khan’s online store.

The women’s T-shirts are priced at Rs 440, while the men’s line retails for Rs 590. Still, if you take a walk down any of the city’s numerous fashion streets, you’ll find copies of the tees, in every conceivable colour and size, and of course, for a fraction of the cost.

Nisar, one of the hawkers selling only women’s T-shirts for Rs 100 on the street says that these designs have been his hottest selling item. Ask him why, and he replies honestly, “Because people see Salman Khan wearing them. I think it’s his favourite.” What Nisar doesn’t know is that he’s stealing directly from his favourite film star’s pocket. “These T-shirts come from Tripura. We have been placing orders for them regularly,” he reveals.

Even on the streets, the price range varies. The basic T-shirts in colours like pink, red, green, and white, retail for Rs 100. Fancier versions with the Being Human sign written in glitter ink or embossed with faux leather strips are priced at Rs 150-200, depending on how generous the stall owner is feeling at that moment. Most T-shirts bear the tag of a company called ‘So Quety’.

Off Bandra’s Linking Road, the price climbs to as high as Rs 250. One of the stall owners there claims the T-shirts are expensive because “these ones come from Thailand. Imported maal (items) is more expensive.”

Alvira Agnihotri, Trustee of Being Human: The Salman Khan Foundation, says, “The focus of the organisation is education and healthcare for the underprivileged. Pirated merchandise benefits no one. In fact, royalties from the official T-shirts will probably help the families of some of the very people who are selling the pirated merchandise on the street.”